• Computational Fairy Tales

  • Computer science concepts as told through fairy tales.By Jeremy Kubica.
  • Computational Fairy Tales includes over 50 stories that cover a range of different computer science concepts from introductory programming, to high level CS concepts, to data structures and algorithms, to computational complexity, to practical programming tips. Different stories are written in different levels of detail and abstraction (and thus might be better matches for different audiences

• Scratch Teaching Projects - Little Crab and Asteroids

  • 3 Lesson Plans:
    1. Scratch Introduction - the second one introduces using Scratch for students who haven't used it before. The project itself is less critical, we simply want the students to gain familiarity with dragging and connecting scratch blocks, and have some fun along the way so we include sounds, movement, and different costumes.
    2. The Computer - the first one introduces computing in general, and we talk about machine input and output, similar to what was posted on scratched.media.mit.edu/stories/using-picoboards-and-scratch-students-alternate-input-devices.
    3. Scratch Game Development - the third one is more of a do-what-I-do instruction session where we build one of two games, depending on the grade level. The lesson plan for that meeting is attached below, "Computer Club Lesson 3 - Scratch Game Development.pdf"
  • 2 Game Development Projects
    1. ScratchLittleCrab01.pdf - this is a Scratch version of the scenario used in the Greenfoot workshop, resources are available at greenfoot.org/workshop and that's an excellent follow-on if you get into wanting to do the projects using Java and Greenfoot rather than Scratch.
    2. ScratchAsteroids01.pdf - this is a Scratch version of the Asteroids game. The idea was that most kids will have already played some form of flying-around-and-shooting game and if not you can always have them look up asteroids projects on http://scratch.mit.edu to get the idea.

Scratch and Teaching Computer Science/Computational Thinking at the Elementary Level

Links and Resources

By: Mr. Michaud / www.nebomusic.net

Students at elementary should have a basic introduction to computer science through a visual programming language such as Scratch. Learning computer science and computational thinking teaches students logical and higher order thinking skills. A visual programming language encourages kinesthetic thought in a system where students can examine and edit their creations as they change over time. Computer science activities also provide an opportunity for project-based and integrated learning in accordance with the Georgia Performance Standards. Finally, students with an understanding of the structure and flow of computer programs develop a deeper fluency with software and hardware. This fluency enables students to express their creativity and share their creations with others.

Scratch Links and resources from nebomusic.net:

Presentation Slides on Scratch and Computer Science at the Georgia Educator's Technology Conference 2011.
(Provides a description of programming in relation to advanced Scratch)
http://www.nebomusic.net/GaETC2011ScratchPresentation.pdf

36 Scratch Activities ranging from beginning to advanced. Projects feature game design, multimeda/music/art, and simulations:

http://www.nebomusic.net/scratch.html

Projects from the MusicTech Curriculum that relate to the Georgia Performance Standards:
Cell Simulation:
http://www.nebomusic.net/techlesson05-5Directions.html

Planet Simulation:
http://www.nebomusic.net/techlesson07-4astudentdirections.html

Molecule Simulation:
http://www.nebomusic.net/Molecule_Simulator_Step_By_Step.html

Dance Animation:
http://www.nebomusic.net/techlesson08-5directions.html

More Animation:
http://www.nebomusic.net/techlesson09-5a.html

Polygon Program:
http://www.nebomusic.net/PolyRobotProject.html
http://www.nebomusic.net/Polygon_Step_By_Step.html

Circuit Simulator:
http://www.nebomusic.net/CircuitScripts.html

Virtual Xylophone:
http://www.nebomusic.net/scratchxylophone.html

Scratch and We-Do Robotics Samples:
http://www.nebomusic.net/wedoscratch.html

Scratch Projects for Advanced Students (Upper Middle and High School)
http://www.nebomusic.net/advancedscratch.html